1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a recording apparatus. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a recording apparatus for performing recording by discharging ink from a recording head detachably attached on a carriage capable of moving on a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recording methods used in a recording apparatus include an inkjet recording method. The inkjet recording method enables the recording apparatus to be relatively small and inexpensive, and enable high-definition recording. The recording apparatus (inkjet recording apparatus) employing the inkjet recording method typically includes a recording head having ink discharge ports. The recording head can be an inkjet recording head or an inkjet head having integrated recording head with ink retaining unit. The recording head (inkjet head) is detachably attached on a carriage. The carriage on which the inkjet head is mounted is moved to perform recording. The head can be replaced with a new head when the ink in the inkjet head is used up or the inkjet head is broken. The replacement enables the inkjet recording apparatus to readily return to a recordable state.
When the head is mounted on the carriage, the head is to be pressed against the carriage to fix (position) the head to the carriage and to electrically couple the head and the recording apparatus body. In many cases, the head has a substrate (head substrate) or a flexible substrate (flexible printed circuit (FPC)) having a conductor exposed portion on which resist processing is not performed. The carriage on which the head is mounted has an insulation displacement connector for electrically coupling with the conductor exposed portion of the head. The insulation displacement connector is a plated metal member. Using elastic deformation of metal, the insulation displacement connector can be pressed onto the conductor exposed portion of the head and can be electrically coupled with the conductor exposed portion of the head. The insulation displacement connector is soldered to a substrate (carriage substrate) mounted on the carriage. The carriage substrate is electrically coupled with a circuit board (control circuit) at the recording apparatus body side via a flexible flat cable (FFC) or an FPC board.
As examples of head mounting methods, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-90343 discusses a method of inserting a head from the upper portion of a carriage to mount the head, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-305808 discusses a method of inserting a head from the front of a carriage to mount the head.
In the method of mounting a head from the upper portion of a carriage, the head placed on the carriage is fixed by a fixing unit rotatably provided on the carriage. The fixing member includes an operation portion. When a user fixes the head to the carriage, the user turns the fixing member together with the operation portion at a replacement position set in a moving range of a recording unit, and the carriage becomes a head attachable/detachable state. In the state, the user inserts the head into the carriage, and turns the fixing member to press the head against the carriage. By the operation, the head can be fixed on the carriage.
In the method of mounting the head from the front of the carriage, a guide member (supporting base) is provided to prevent the head from falling off the carriage and to guide the head to the carriage. The head is guided by the supporting base from the front of the carriage to the carriage, and a pressure reception portion of the head moves beyond an inclined plane of a head set cam pressed by a spring. Thus, the head receives pressing force and the head is fixed to the carriage.
In the configuration of inserting the head from the upper portion of the carriage, with a cover or a scanner at the upper portion of the recording apparatus body opened, a space enough to pass the head and a space enough to turn the operation portion of the fixing member are to be provided, and this limits the apparatus design. When the cover or the scanner at the upper portion of the recording apparatus body is configured such that the cover or the scanner cannot be opened, the head is to be inserted deep into the recording apparatus to attach or detach the head, and this causes operational problems. In order to increase the operability of the user, a wide opening portion of the recording apparatus body to access the carriage is to be provided. This, however, increases the whole size of the apparatus.
On the other hand, in the configuration of inserting the head from the front of the carriage, the user is not required to hold up the body cover or the scanner. Thus, it is not necessary to provide the space above the apparatus (carriage). Further, in fixing the head, the user only has to push the head against the carriage, and the operability can be increased. However, the above-described supporting base is to be provided outside the operating range of the carriage in order to prevent the head insertion operation from interfering with a spur unit of the recording portion heightwise. This increases the costs and the width of the apparatus body.